LIVE | Modi's first response: 'Will script history in my third term'
Rahul: Fight was to save Constitution
Rahul Gandhi: "The Congress and INDIA didnt just contest this election against one party or person. We fought against institutions, half the judiciary because all these institutions were captured and intimidated by Modi and Amit Shah. The fight was to save the Constitution and it was in my mind from the start, when they froze our accounts, broke parties and jailed CMs, that India's people will stand up and fight against all this and I have been proved right."
Kharge: We will continue fighting for the issues of the people
Kharge: The people were convinced that a clear mandate for Modi would mean an assault on the Constitution in the future.
Kharge acknowledges support from Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and allies of the INDIA bloc as well as the people of the country.
"Our fight has not reached its end yet. We will continue fighting for the issues of the people. We will have to ensure that Parliament functions properly and issues of the people are addressed," Kharge said.
Kharge: This is moral defeat for Modi
Kharge: "The people have not given an absolute majority to any party. The BJP had sought a mandate against one person and it is now clear that the mandate is against him. It is a moral defeat for Narendra Modi.
"The Congress party and INDIA bloc contested the election against all odds and despite hurdles created by various institutions but we ran a positive campaign. We raised issues of price rise, issues of farmers, joblessness and subverting of institutions. People joined us, and supported us. The kind of campaign that the PM ran will not be forgotten for a long time. The people understood the falsehood that the PM spread during the campaign.
"Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra gave the foundation to our campaign and our Nyay Patra (manifesto)."
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge speaking to the media at party HQ
Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders present.
PM Modi wins from Varanasi for 3rd consecutive term, his victory margin lowest
Prime Minister Narendra Modi won the Varanasi seat for the third consecutive term by defeating Congress candidate Ajay Rai. The victory margin of Modi this time is 1,52,513, which is less than his victory margins of 2019 and 2014. In 2019, Modi's victory margin was 4,79,505. He defeated SP's Shalini Yadav that time while Congress' Ajay Rai was the runner up.
In 2014, Modi had won by a margin of 3,71,784 votes when he defeated AAP's Arvind Kejriwal.
This time, the BJP leaders were claiming that PM Modi's victory margin will create a record.
Rahul, Sonia, Priyanka at Congress HQ
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and others reach the party headquarters in New Delhi.